Combined bridge block and fastener for spectacle cases



March 27, 1951 2,546,755

W. l. JONES COMBINED BRIDGE BLOCK AND FASTENER FOR SPECTACLE CASES Filed March 27, 1948 1 24 I INVENTOR.

20 WA L775? (Jo/v56,

BY L

TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 27, 1951 CGMBINED BRIDGE BLOCK AND FASTENER FOR SPECTACLE CASES Walter 1. Jones, Belmont, Mass, assignor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 27, 1948, Serial No. 17,546

The present invention relates to a combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectacle cases, and aims generally to improve existing devices of that type.

Flexible spectacle cases commonly are formed of one or more pieces of flexible sheetmaterial, for example leather, folded to provide a pocket and an overlapping flap, the latter adapted to be secured in closed position on the pocket by means of a separable stud and socket snap fastener member.

The pocket of the case is usually provided with a stiffening bar and a bridge block, the latter serving to provide a positioning means for the bridge of the spectacle as well as a mounting for the fastener member secured to the pocket.

Heretofore, such bridge blocks have generally been made of wood, but have the disadvantage in that they can easily be split, are relatively expensive'of manufacture, and require the use of an expensive stud attaching means.

One of the primary objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectacle cases which will be simple in construction, economical in cost of manufacture and durable in use.

The above and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates a consideration of the accompanying drawings and annexed specification illustrating and describing two preferred forms of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a spectacle case, part of the case being broken away to show the bridge block and fastener support of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view as taken on the line 27-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a bridge block and fastener mounting'according to one'ernbodiment of the invention as is illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a vertical sectional view as taken 'on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the bridge block and fastener mounting of Figs. 3 and 4 is made;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view simila to Fig. 2 and illustrating the manner of securing the fastener member to the case and bridge block;

Fig. '7 is a plan view of a modified form of bridge block embodying the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the blank from which the block shown in Fig. '7 is made.

Referring to the drawings, the spectacle case I, to which the invention is to be applied, may be formed of flexible sheet material, for example leather or the like, and conveniently may consist of two pieces of material 2 and 3 secured together, as by stitching, along a portion of their peripheral 10 Claims. ((31. 206-5) edges to provide a pocket portion 4 and a flap 5. The flap 5 may be provided with a snap fastener socket member 6 adapted to engage a cooperating snap fastener stud member 1 on the front piece 2 of the pocket 4 as is usual.

The bridge block and fastener mounting of the present invention preferably is formed of a strip of sheet material, for example sheet aluminum, comprising a loop Hi providing a base portion H, side arm portions l2, and a connecting nose portion l3. Extending inwardly from one end of the loop ill, for example from the base portion I I, are

comating arms or extensions I4, the terminal ends of which provide a fastener mounting portion [5 herein illustrated as being grooved so that the comating sections will provide a tubular mounting for a part of the fastener stud l.

The bridge block shown in Figs. 3 and 4 advantageously may be formed from an elongated blank of sheet metal as shown ig. 5, preferably wider at the central nose portion and tapering in width toward the opposite ends or fastener mounting portions I5. This insures sufficient width of the bridge block at the nose portion [3 to protect the spectacle from damage while providing a fastener mounting disposed inwardly of the opposite marginal edges of the bridge block.

The fastener stud l is advantageously secured to the case part 2 as well as to the mounting l5, by means of a tubular rivet or eyelet l6 having a flanged head 51. The fastener stud 1 preferably is of a conventional type having a hollow bulbous head la and a base flange lb (see Fig. 6). The tubular rivet it is passed through the tubular post or mounting provided by the comating grooves of the mounting portions IS with the flanged head I! engaging a shouldered edge I5a of the mounting portion [5. The shank of the rivet will be of sufficient length, so that when pressure is applied to the stud. l and rivet head ill, the end of the rivet shanlr will be upset within the hollow stud head 7a and the rivet head ll will be crimped over and around the shouldered edge of the mounting portion, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus the stud 1 may be securely assembled with the bridge block and to the case part 2 in reinforcing relation therebetween. This means of attachment also holds the arms I4M together and prevents spreading of the loop, thus permitting the manufacture of a bridge block froma simple blank. The height of the arms Hi-M where the rivet passes through the tubular portion is preferably less than the body portion so as to permit the use of a shorter rivet.

In Figs. '2 and 8 I have illustrated a modified form of bridge block and fastener mounting, as well as a sheet metal blank therefor. In this embodiment of the invention the block 2f? may be substantially triangular in form, having base end portions 2|, converging side portions 22 and a nose portion 23. Arms 24 extend inwardly from the nose 23 and are provided with a tubular stud mounting portion '25, which, as in the case of the portion I5 of Figs. 2 to 6, is preferably shouldered relative to the adjacent portion of the arms 24, so that a stud rivet head may be crimped thereover. According to this form-of the invention the stud mounting portion is formed from the central portion of the strip, as shown-inFig. 8. The portion 25 is of less width than the adjacent nose portions 23, so that the strip preferably widens from the portion 25 to the nose portions .23 and then tapers toward opposite ends.

Advantages of the invention reside in"the si1n plicity of construction whereby the sheet metal bridge blockmay also provide a stable and secure mounting for the stud fastener member. The bridge block may be economically manufactured andlreadilyassembled in a spectacle case with the fastener. There is no breakage of the bridge block during assembly of the fastener studas is frequently .the case when using wooden blocks.

Although I have illustrated and described two constructions embodying my invention, I do not intend to be restricted to the details thereof as the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claims.

'I claim:

'1. .A combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectacle cases and the like, comprising an elongated strip of sheet material tapering in width from its center toward opposite ends, said center portion being reversely bent to provide a nose and adjoining/side portions, base portions connected to said side portions and being of less depth than said nose, comatlng arms connected to said base portions and extending inwardly between saidside portions, and arcuate fastener -mounting portions on the ends of said arms, said arcuate mounting portions providing a tubular mounting for .a fastener attaching rivet.

2. A combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectacle cases and the like, comprising an elongated strip of sheet material, shaped to generally triangular form to provide opposed base, side and nose portions, the central portion of said strip extending inwardly from said nose portion and provided with a tubular postreceiving bore, said strip tapering in width from raid nose portion in opposite directions toward said tubularbore and strip ends, the latter forming the base portion of said block.

3, A combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectacle cases and thelike comprising a strip of ribbon-like sheet material shaped provide aloop-like main portion adapt ed to r ceive the bridge of apair of spectacles, a pair of opposed arms connected to saidloop-like main portion and extending into the space sur rounded thereby, said arms being provided with means shaped to receiveattaching means for securing said bridge block to a. support.

4. A combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectaclecases comprising material shaped to provide a bridge block having onposed side portions and opposed base and .nose portions, an arm extending in vardly from .one of said portions between said opposed side portions and provided with means shaped to receive attaching means for securing said bridge block to a support.

5. A combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectacle cases comprising an elongated strip of sheet material shaped to provide a bridge block having opposed side portions and 013-- posed .base and .nose portions, portions of said strip extending inwardly between said opposed side portions in opposed relationship and provided with means shaped to receive a fastenerreceiving supporting post whereby a'supporting post may be secured to said block and to a fastener member to hold them inasse'mbled relationship on said casing.

6. A combined bridge block and fastener meuntingfor spectacle cases comprising an elongated strip of sheet material shaped to provide a bridge block having opposed side portions connected to opposed base and nose portions, portions of said strip extending inwardly into the space surrounded by said opposed side, base and nose portions in opposed relationship and provided with means shaped to receive a fastenerreceiving supporting post whereby said supporting post may be secured to said block and to a fastener member to hold them in assembled relationship on said casing.

7. .A combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectacle cases and the like comprisingcan elongated strip of sheet material bent to loop form to provide a bridge block having opposed side, base and nose portions, an arm extending inwardly from one of said portions and being of less depth than said nose portion,

and a tubular fastener stud mounting adjacent the inner end of said arm.

8. A combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectacle cases and the like comprising a block member formed of a sheet metal strip of varying width and tapering toward its opposite ends, said strip being bent to loop form providing opposed base, side and nose portions,

an arm extending inwardly from one of said portions and lying within said loop, and a stud fastener mounting portion on said arm adjacent the inner end thereof.

.9. A combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectacle cases comprising an elongated strip of sheet material shaped'to provide abridge block having opposed side portions connected at the ends thereof to opposed base and nose portions, the end portions of said strip extending inwardly between said opposed side portions in opposed relationship and provided with means shaped to receive attaching means for securing said bridge block to a support.

10. A combined bridge block and fastener mounting for spectacle cases and the like comprising a strip of sheet material shaped to provide a base portion, opposed converging side's connected to said base portion and an intermediate nose portion of greater depth than said base portion, and comating extensions integral with one of said portions and extending inwardly between said sides, said extensions being provided with arcuate portions adjacent their ends forming a tubular fastener-receiving support.

WALTER I. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

